A federal court in Washington DC said on Thursday there were no indictments returned against Donald Trump so far and none were expected for the remainder of the day, despite heavy speculation that charges from special counsel Jack Smith’s office could be announced at any moment.
The deputy clerk of the US District Court for the District of Columbia said no such indictment was likely on Thursday, Politico reports.
Earlier in the day, the former president, who is being investigated for his attempts to overturn the 2020 election result and his ties to the January 6 insurrection at the Capitol, said his lawyers met with Mr Smith’s office.
“My attorneys had a productive meeting with the DOJ this morning, explaining in detail that I did nothing wrong, was advised by many lawyers, and that an Indictment of me would only further destroy our Country,” Mr Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform on Thurday. “No indication of notice was given during the meeting — Do not trust the Fake News on anything!”
Members of the grand jury appointed as part of the special counsel investigation were seen continuing to work throughout Thursday, according to NBC News.
Last week, Mr Trump was informed in a letter from the special counsel’s office of the statutes under which he is potentially going to be charged, including conspiracy to commit offence or to defraud the United States, deprivation of rights under colour of law and tampering with a witness, victim or informant.
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Mr Smith has been investigating the former president since November 2022.
An indictment from the special counsel would mark the third set of serious charges against the former president this year.
In June, Mr Trump was charged in federal court in Florida with 37 counts related to his alleged mishandling of classified White House documents after leaving office.
In April, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office charged Mr Trump with 34 counts related to hush money payments made to pornographic actress Stormy Daniels during the 2016 campaign.
The former president has pleaded not guilty to both sets of charges.
